Smart home security: simple, connected and with no monthly fees
By Ana López · Marketing & Communications Director at AYR
Home security
How to strengthen your home's security without complex installations or monthly fees
Improving your home's security doesn't always mean signing up for an alarm with professional installation, a minimum contract and a monthly fee. For many homes, the first step is simpler: strengthening the entry points —the door and windows— and being able to know what's happening when you're not there.
When we think about protecting a home, the conversation tends to jump straight to traditional alarm systems. They're a valid option for certain profiles, but not the only one. There's a middle ground: connected security solutions that let you reinforce the most vulnerable points in your home with devices you own, managed from your phone and with no recurring fees.
In this article we look at how to approach a home security strategy, starting with the essentials: the entry points.
Home security starts with the entry points
A home security strategy starts with a very simple question: how could someone get into your home? The answer always includes the front door and, depending on the type of property, windows, balconies, terraces, sunrooms or secondary doors too.
Entry-point security
Protecting your home comes down, above all, to two things
- Making unauthorised entry harder through the door, the windows and every other entry point.
- Having reliable information about what happens at them, even when you're away.
Everything else —sirens, cameras, monitoring services— is built on that foundation.
The front door: security that doesn't need to be seen
The front door accounts for most of a home's daily use and also most of its risks: uncontrolled duplicate keys, old locks, doors left unlocked. Reinforcing it is the first logical decision in any security plan.
There's one idea worth bearing in mind: one of the best security measures is the one that doesn't announce it's there. A device visible from outside tells anyone what system protects the door and where it is installed. An invisible one doesn't.
That is the thinking behind AYR Lock Pro, an electronic lock that is installed on the inside face of the door. From outside, the door looks as it always has: nothing indicates that there's a smart lock, what type of system it is or where it acts.
Basic security tips for any home
- Check the condition of your main lock and replace it if it's old or has had problems.
- Keep track of how many copies of your keys exist and who has them.
- Lock doors and windows properly even when you're out for a short while, not just on holiday.
- Pay attention to the less visible entry points: patios, terraces, street-level windows.
- Consider devices that alert you to openings when you're not at home.
As well as being discreet, Lock Pro gives you better control over access to your home: you know who can get in and you decide how the door opens, without relying solely on how many copies of the key are out there. It opens from the AYR app or with the Bluetooth remote AYR Key Pro, which unlocks the Lock Pro at the press of a button, without having to take out your phone. And if you want to complete your door's security, you can add a digital door viewer to see who's on the other side before you open.
AYR Key Pro
Prefer not to rely on your phone? Open with the remote
Not everyone wants to take out their smartphone to get into their home. The Bluetooth remote AYR Key Pro unlocks the Lock Pro at the press of a button, just like a car key fob: a convenient alternative for anyone who'd rather not depend on their phone day to day.
- One-button opening, no phone needed.
- Direct Bluetooth connection to the lock.
- Compact: fits in your pocket or on your keyring.
- Ideal as an additional access option for family members.
Find out how to strengthen your door's security with AYR Lock Pro.
Windows are part of your home's security too
A security strategy that only considers the front door is incomplete. Windows, patio doors, sunrooms and accessible balconies are also points where it's worth asking: is it properly closed? Would I know if it were opened?
For that second level of protection there's AYR Keep, a smart sensor for doors and windows. Keep detects openings and lets you check the status of each entry point —open or closed— from the AYR app, and it also includes a tamper alarm that detects attempts to sabotage the device itself.
Its small size and two finishes (white and black) mean it can be installed discreetly on different types of entry point: windows, French windows, secondary doors or even a storeroom door.
AYR Keep
Complete the protection of your entry points
Detect openings, check the status of each entry point from the app and get alerts if it's tampered with.
- Monitor whether each window is open or closed.
- Detect openings at entry points that are out of sight.
- Alerts you to attempts to tamper with the sensor.
- Installed indoors, with no building work.
What happens at home when you're not there?
Installing security devices is one part of the strategy. The other, just as important, is being able to know what's happening in your home when you're not in it. Security also means knowing what's happening when you're not there.
That's the role of AYR Nex, the gateway that connects the AYR ecosystem to the internet. AYR devices use Bluetooth Low Energy to extend battery life; Nex plugs into the mains, connects to your home Wi-Fi network and acts as a bridge between the two worlds. Thanks to that connection, compatible devices can report their events and you can receive notifications on your phone wherever you are, with event history included and no fees for the cloud service.
In practice, this covers very everyday situations:
You're at work
You want to know whether something has been opened at home at a time when nobody should be there.
You're travelling
Your home is empty for days and you'd rather get information about its entry points on your phone.
You have a second home
You can't pop over to check every window. With Nex, you check the status remotely.
You want more visibility
You simply prefer to know what's happening at certain entry points without being physically at home.
Remote notifications require AYR Nex and a Wi-Fi connection in the home. Some devices, such as AYR Keep, need Nex to work within the ecosystem.
AYR Nex
Stay informed even when you're away
It plugs into the mains, connects to your Wi-Fi and brings notifications and events from your compatible devices to your phone, with history included and no fees for the cloud service.
Discover AYR NexConnected security without turning your home into a home-automation project
Strengthening your home's security doesn't require turning it into an automated home. AYR's approach is deliberately focused: specific devices, installed at specific points, to meet a specific need —protecting entry points and staying informed.
You start where it makes most sense, usually the front door. You add sensors to the windows you're concerned about. You connect everything with Nex when you want to receive information while you're out. Everything is managed from a single app, AYR Integra, and the system only grows if you want it to.
Do you need to pay a monthly fee to improve your home's security?
Not necessarily. There are different home security models, and it's worth understanding what each one offers before deciding.
Professional alarm with a monitoring centre
- Monitoring and response service managed by a security company.
- Professional installation and service contracts.
- Recurring monthly fees, often with a minimum term.
- Suited to those who want continuous professional monitoring.
Devices you own, information on your phone
- You reinforce and monitor the specific entry points that matter to you.
- The devices are yours: no monthly fees or minimum term.
- You receive information directly on your phone and decide how to act.
- A system you can expand at your own pace, one entry point at a time.
They're not equivalent services: AYR is not an alarm monitoring centre and does not replace professional monitoring and response services. They are two different ways of approaching home security.
The rule of thumb is simple: if what you want is to reinforce certain entry points in your home, have greater control over them and receive information on your phone without necessarily signing up for a service with recurring fees, there are alternatives such as the AYR security system.
A simple strategy to strengthen your home's security
The basic set-up comes down to a chain of four pieces:
Interior electronic lock, invisible from outside.
Opening sensors on the entry points you want to monitor.
The gateway that connects the devices to the internet.
Entry-point status, notifications and management from anywhere.
Every home is different. Before installing, it's worth checking the type of door and entry points to confirm the most suitable solution in each case.
What type of home might it suit?
- Main residence: you reinforce the front door and gain visibility over the other entry points in your daily life.
- Second home: you check the status of doors and windows remotely and get alerts if anything is opened.
- Apartments that stand empty for periods: the property is left alone for weeks or months, but not unmonitored.
- Homes with a terrace or accessible windows: the most exposed entry points are no longer blind spots.
- People who travel frequently: the information reaches your phone, whether you're in the next town or in another country.
- Families who want more visibility: knowing whether the door was properly locked or a window has been opened, with no calls and no doubts.
Frequently asked questions about home security
Can you improve a home's security without signing up for an alarm?
Yes. Reinforcing the front-door lock, monitoring windows with opening sensors and receiving alerts on your phone are measures that improve security without signing up for a traditional alarm service. They are different approaches and can meet different needs.
How can I strengthen the security of my front door?
Keep the lock in good condition, keep track of copies of your keys and consider an electronic lock installed on the inside, such as AYR Lock Pro, which improves access management without being visible from outside.
How can I protect the windows in my home?
As well as checking the condition of the latches, you can install opening sensors such as AYR Keep on the windows and entry points you want to monitor. You'll know whether they're open or closed and detect openings when you're not at home.
Which home security system has no monthly fees?
Systems based on devices you own, such as the AYR ecosystem, don't require monthly fees: the cloud service for notifications and history is free. It's a different model from alarms connected to a monitoring centre, which work on a subscription basis.
Can I get alerts on my phone if something happens at home?
Yes. With the AYR Nex gateway connected to your home Wi-Fi network, compatible devices in the AYR ecosystem can send real-time notifications and events to your phone through the AYR Integra app.
What's the difference between a traditional alarm and a connected security system?
A traditional alarm is a service: a company monitors and responds in exchange for a monthly fee. A connected security system such as AYR's is based on devices you own: you receive the information on your phone and stay in control, with no recurring fees. They are not equivalent services.
How can I improve the security of a second home?
A common combination is to reinforce the door with AYR Lock Pro, monitor windows and entry points with AYR Keep and connect everything with AYR Nex so you can check the status and receive alerts remotely while the property is empty.
Door, windows and your phone: a simple way to get started
- Lock Pro
- + Keep
- + Nex
A set-up designed to reinforce the main entry points to your home and keep you informed, with no complex installations or recurring fees.
Discover the AYR security systemAYR – Smart Access and Security Solutions
